Tuesday, November 9, 2010

The Afghan Whigs’ landmark album 'Gentlemen' will be reissued on 180 gram vinyl by San Diego’s Hi-Speed Soul Records on January 25, 2011. The release will feature the complete studio album as well as a full color lyric sheet.

'Gentlemen' has been considered by music critics and Afghan Whigs’ fans the world over as the band’s masterpiece featuring quintessential songs like “Debonair,” “Gentlemen” and “What Jail Is Like.” As The Afghan Whigs’ major label debut (originally released by Elektra Records) 'Gentlemen' was cinematic in its scope and more ambitious than anything The Afghan Whigs had released to date. Almost the antithesis to the 90s Grunge movement, 'Gentlemen' retained The Afghan Whigs’ trademark R&B and soul influences. Despite receiving support from MTV and modern rock radio, the band remained largely a cult favorite. 'Gentlemen' appeared on numerous “best of” lists for 1993 as well the 1990s as a whole.

Hi-Speed Soul’s vinyl-only reissue of Gentlemen can be pre-ordered now on the Hi-Speed Soul website. The physical release date of the album is set for January 25, 2011.

For further information regarding this album or any of Hi-Speed Soul’s other releases, please contact Owen Salerno at 619-322-5441 or owen@hispeedsoul.com.

About Hi-Speed Soul:

Hi-Speed Soul Records (San Diego, CA) was founded in 2007 by Eric Howarth, former owner of the esteemed M-Theory Music record store. Since then, the independent label has proudly released albums by Nada Surf, Swervedriver (UK), Film School, Lady Dottie and the Diamonds, The Nervous Wreckords (Louis XIV/Cornershop), Adam Franklin of Swervedriver, and Jim Noir (UK). Besides a focus on collector worthy reissues and new releases by emerging bands, Hi-Speed Soul also manages The Black Heart Procession and Pall Jenkins of Three Mile Pilot/Myth. Most recently Eric brought on Owen Salerno, former promotions director at FM 94/9 (KBZT San Diego), and has created a division to focus on TV/Film/Gaming Licensing for both bands on the record label and an extended roster of quality artists.

Born on this day in 1941, Tom Fogerty, guitarist, Creedence Clearwater Revival. Fogerty died on September 6, 1990.

Producer, songwriter and co-founder of Atlantic records Herb Abramson died in 1999. Wrote and produced Tommy Tucker's 1964 hit "High Heeled Sneakers."

Davey Goldsworthy, singer and guitarist with UK band The Chesterfields, died in 2003 after being involved in a hit-a-run accident in Oxford.

In 2008, Miriam Makeba, the South African singer who reached #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1967 with "Pata Pata" suffered a fatal heart attack at the age of 76. Among her many notable achievements was becoming the first African woman to win a Grammy, for Best Folk Recording in 1966 with Harry Belafonte for "An Evening With Belafonte / Makeba."

History:

In 1955, the Everly Brothers made their first studio recordings, cutting four tracks in 22 minutes at Nashville's Old Tulane Hotel studios.

Buddy Holly began his first tour in 1956, opening for George Jones and Hank Locklin.

In 1957, "Jailhouse Rock" and "Wake Up Little Susie" were the #1 and #2 songs On Billboard's Pop, Country and R&B charts simultaneously.

In 1958, Elvis Presley's "Hound Dog," exceeded three million copies sold in the USA, becoming only the third single to do so. Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" & "Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer" by Gene Autry being the other two.

Johnny Mathis started a five-week run at #1 on the US album chart in 1959 with 'Heavenly.'

In 1959, Billboard Magazine stated that this was "one of the most frantic weeks in the history of the music business," as the government probe into disc jockey payola steps up.

Also in 1959, RCA executives offered a guarantee of $100,000 to Sam Cooke in an effort to lure him to their label when his Keen Records contract expires.

Brian Epstein saw The Beatles playing live for the first time during a lunchtime session at The Cavern Liverpool in 1961. He had been getting requests at his NEMS music store for a record called "My Bonnie." After several more visits, Epstein would offer to manage the group, which he did until his death in 1967.

Elvis Presley had his 9th UK #1 with single in 1961 with "His Latest Flame / Little Sister."

Motown Records released "You've Really Got a Hold on Me," by the Miracles in 1962.

The Kingsmen's classic, "Louie, Louie" was released in the US in 1963. It will enter the Hot 100 near the end of November and peak at #2 in early January.

If all the "Paul is dead" theories were correct, then today, in 1966, would have been the day he died.

John Lennon met Yoko Ono for the first time in 1966 when he visited her art exhibition 'Unfinished Paintings and Objects' at the Indica Gallery in London. She supposedly didn't know who Lennon was. The two wouldn't get together until 1968.

In a move which is later described by both sides as being conflicting egos, Roger McGuinn expels David Crosby from the Byrds in 1967. Crosby was replaced by Gene Clark, an original member of the group returning after two years away. The next year Crosby, Stills, and Nash was formed.

Infuriated by an unfavorable review of The Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” Jann Werner decides to write his own review and publish it. In the process he creates Rolling Stone magazine. 1967. The first issue of Rolling Stone Magazine was published in San Francisco in 1967. It featured a photo of John Lennon on the cover, dressed in army fatigues while acting in his recent film, 'How I Won the War' and the first issue had a free roach clip to hold a marijuana joint. The name of the magazine was compiled from three significant sources: the Muddy Waters song, the first rock ’n’ roll record by Bob Dylan and The Rolling Stones.

In 1968, Led Zeppelin played their first ever London show when they appeared at The Roundhouse, Chalk Farm. On the same bill as John Lee Hooker, Deviants, John James and Tyres. Zeppelin singer Robert Plant married his girlfriend Maureen in London on this day and held the reception at the gig.

Also in 1968, a US Army captain was quoted in Rolling Stone Magazine as saying "Rock and Roll music contributes to both the usage of drugs and the high VD rate among enlisted men in the army today."

In 1969 Simon and Garfunkel record what would become their signature tune, "Bridge Over Troubled Water," with future member of Bread, Larry Knechtel on piano. Art wanted Paul to sing the song, but Paul insisted that Art's voice was better suited for it. It was a decision that Paul would later say he regretted.

The Grateful Dead played the first of three nights at the Winterland Arena, San Francisco, California in 1973.

Cat Stevens made his national TV debut on ABC's "In Concert."

After years of struggling as a member of two New York area bands, The Hassels and Attila, and as a bar room piano player, Billy Joel released what will ultimately be his breakthrough album, "Piano Man" in 1973. The title song will be released as a single and become a Top Twenty-five hit early next year.

In 1974, Randy Bachman, the former lead guitarist for The Guess Who, enjoyed a number one song with his new band, Bachman-Turner Overdrive. Randy stuttered through the lyrics of "You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet" on a demo recording as a private joke about his brother Gary, who had a speech impediment. The record company liked that take better than the non-stuttering version and released it. The song not only gave the band their third US top thirty hit and a #2 in the UK, Gary Bachman stopped stammering.

David Bowie appeared on Cher's CBS TV show in 1975.

Carole King scored her third US #1 album in 1974 with 'Wrap Around Joy.'

In the wake of the reformed Fleetwood Mac's success with their latest, self-titled album, one of the band's earlier LPs, 'Mystery to Me' goes Gold in 1976.

Jan Hammer went to #1 on the US singles chart in 1985 with the "Miami Vice Theme."

In 1990, the internal revenue seized all of US country singers Willie Nelson's bank accounts and real estate holdings in connection with a $16million tax debt.

Prince and the New Power Generation started a two week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1991 with "Cream."

In 1991, Richard Marx played in five cities in 1 day during a 'Rush-n Rush Out, Street Tour.' Marx appeared in Baltimore, New York City, Cleveland, Chicago and Burbank Airport.

In1993, the Dave Matthews Band released their first album, ‘Remember Two Things’ on the Bama Rags label.

Blackstreet featuring Dr Dre started a four week run at #1 on the US singles chart in 1996 with "No Diggity."

Van Halen went to No.1 on the US album chart in 1996 with 'Best Of Vol 1.'

The Firm were at #1 on the US album chart in 1997 with ‘The Album’ (featuring Nas, Foxy Brown, Az and Nature).

In 1998, singer Billy Preston, his manager Merle Otis Greene and Greene's wife Sandra were indicted on 22 charges of fraud in collecting $1 million in insurance claims.

Also in 1998 - Michael Jackson settled a lawsuit over stories and pictures in the London Daily Mirror that said his face had been disfigured by cosmetic surgery. A lawyer for the publisher said, "The photographs were taken honestly and were not tampered with, but the Mirror has since met with the plaintiff in person and acknowledges that the photographs do not accurately represent the plaintiff's true appearance."

In 1999, the Recording Industry Association of America announces their Artists Of The Century. The Beatles top the list for US sales of over 106 million albums. Garth Brooks was named most successful male artist (89 million albums sold) and Barbra Streisand the most successful female artist. (62 million albums sold). Elvis Presley had the most Gold and Platinum singles with 77, to go along with his 80 Gold and Platinum albums. Elton John's "Candle In The Wind" (Princess Diana version) is the best selling single of all time and the Eagles "Greatest Hits 1971 - 1975" is the record holder for best selling album.

Gary Glitter appeared at Bristol Crown Court, England in 1999, charged with seducing and sexually humiliating a 14 year-old girl. The charges related back to 1980. Pig....

The Beatles launched their official internet web site, www.thebeatles.com in 2000.

In 2002, viewers of the UK music channel VH1 voted "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston as the number 1 most romantic song ever. In second place Elvis Presley, "You Were Always On My Mind" and third place went to "My Heart Will Go On" by Celine Dion.

In 2004, a Dutch man was jailed for nine months for harassing former Spice Girl Melanie Chisholm. The unnamed 39-year-old sent the singer parcels, letters and tapes during 2001. Dutch police searched the man's home after he tried to hand-deliver a parcel to Ms Chisholm's London home.

"Queen On Fire: Live At The Bowl," was released in 2004. The show documents Queen`s 1982 concert at London`s Milton Keynes Bowl and was originally broadcast on British Television and MTV. The concert includes "We Will Rock You," "Fat Bottomed Girls," "Another One Bites The Dust" and "We Are The Champions."

The Rolling Stones accepted two trophies at the third annual Billboard Touring Awards in New York in 2006. They nailed the Top Tour category and Top Draw award. Their A Bigger Bang jaunt drew 2 million fans and earned nearly $230 million between 12/01/05 and 9/29/06.

Queens Of The Stone Age were kicked out of a Los Angeles rehab clinic in 2007 after staff objected to their lyrics. QOTSA played an intimate set for patients but the sound is cut part way through their opening number, "Feel Good Hit Of The Summer," which features a chorus of "Nicotine, Valium, Vicodin, marijuana, ecstasy and alcohol, c-c-c-c-c-cocaine." The group was physically ejected from the facility. Ummm, great song choice fellas.....

Kid Rock wins the World's Best Pop Male Artist and World's Best Pop/Rock Male Artist prizes at the World Music Awards in Monaco in 2008. He also performed at the event. In addition, The Beatles received a Diamond Award for selling more the 100 million albums worldwide. Ringo Starr was on hand to accept the trophy on behalf of the group.

Kozmic Blues: The Life and Music of Janis Joplin, a weeklong presentation of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum's 2009 American Music Masters series, begins in Cleveland. There are Joplin tribute performances and interviews with people who knew and/or worked with the singer. "I am touched, as is the rest of the family, that Janis' musical and social power continue to inspire and remain important in the lives of so many," says Joplin's sister, Laura.